Rutgers University students hold annual 'Tent State' event to protest high education costs

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerVolunteer Robert Latherow, of New Brunswick, left, gets Rutgers senior Lissette Herrera, of Plainfield, to sign a letter to her legislator during the Tent State demonstration at Rutgers University.

Since Saturday at least 90 tents have been pitched on the Voorhees Lawn at Rutgers University near College Avenue in New Brunswick, as part of the 7th-annual "Tent State" event. It was created by students in 2003 to protest the higher cost of education and serve as a creative and social outlet. The event ends Friday.

A large open tent served as a "Town Hall" for discussions. A table held a list of phone numbers with state legislators' phone numbers and a sign urging people to call them to complain about the high price of tuition.

Robert Latherow, 27, who dropped out of Rutgers University last semester in part because his father got laid off and could no longer help pay his tuition of more than $9,000 a year, took part in the event to protest the cost of higher education.

"I couldn't afford gas to get here," said Latherow, a former senior majoring in history and anthropology who commuted from his home 30 minutes away in Rahway.

People were there for the seminars, which this year included how to compost, how to tie-dye clothing, bible study, yoga, meditation, dance, as well pointed discussions with topics including, "what it means to give healthy sexual consent" in a relationship.

There were live bands and people spinning fire too.

Others just wanted to have fun.

Reclining on a plastic lawn chair next to a tent, Iraklis Pappas, 21, a chemistry and philosophy major, said the real reason he's camping out is to plot a naked streak of a group of people across campus. Tonight would likely be the night, he said.

"Being naked is really exciting," said Pappas, as he chatted with a young female student and listened to a remake of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" on his iPod.

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerA sign placed on one of the tents during the 5th annual "Tent State" on the Voorhees Lawn at Rutgers University.

Those with more serious aspirations for the event pointed to budget cuts to higher education this year. The proposed state budget slashes operating aid to nearly all higher institutions including Rutgers by 5 percent, which would result in a cut of $15.5 million at Rutgers, to a level unseen since 1997-98, university officials have said.

Since Tent State was envisioned at Rutgers, colleges nationwide and in other countries, including Scotland and Australia, have adopted its model, said Steve Perez, a student organizer.

People walking by had mixed reactions to the event. Many didn't know what it was about. One person thought the cause was to combat homelessness.

Some students thought it was cool to express political views in such a radical way, while others said the event seemed like a party for hippies, and they didn't think the so-called protest would change legislators' minds.

An art curator said he was happy to see the sight of Coleman tents and handwritten signs on cardboard with messages like, "Education not War," or "Stop Continental Drift!"

"Any time (students) see education is more than just being in class, and translate it to social action, that's very important," said Alfredo Franco, education curator of the the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers.

Not all participants were young or students.

Jeff Pasternak, 46, and his girlfriend Andrea Mayer, 47, said they joined the festivities for the experience.

"I'm at the awkward age where I was too young to do Woodstock," said Pasternak, who is currently unemployed. The couple said one participant in a nearby tent was a 76-year-old man who played the guitar well.

A gray-haired professor wearing horn-rimmed glasses said he thought the planned nudity across campus was a sound idea.

"It's a good season for doing that, especially if it rains," said Karl Morrison, professor of medieval history. "It's said to be very nice."